Registration means for duplicating machines



June 30, 1953 c. A. LEvlN l-:TAL`

REGISTRATION MEANS FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Feb. 3. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l m, m j

June 30, 1953 3, A, LEVlN E-rAL 2,643,607

REGISTRATION MEANS FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Feb. 3. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z6 Z7 JZ June 30, 1953 c. A. L EvlN Erm.

REGISTRATION MEANS FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Feb. 3, 1950,

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 .lune 30, 1953 c. A. LEVIN ETAL 2,643,607

REGISTRATION 'MEANS FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Feb. 3, 1950 `4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 30, 1953 OFFICE REGISTRATION' S FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Oak; Parke Ill., assignors to Ditto, Incorporated,

a corporation of West Virginia Chicago, Ill.,

Park Ridge, and Ored L. Smith,

' f i Anplicationlcbruary, 1950!.Scrial No. 142.178

1 4 Claims. v(Cl. lol-232) This invention relates, to. duplicating machines. and in particular to meansfor adjusting the registration of the copy sheet with the drum or printing couple, to the end thatthe top margin of the printed copy sheet may be regulated.

The invention is shown, and described herein with respect to a duplicating machine oi the Wet process type in which the printing couple comprises a drum and a cooperating pressure roll. The matter to be duplicated is in the form of a master sheet whichy is secured to the drum, in a predetermined position. This .type of machine is also provided With sheet feeding means in the form of a pair of feed rolls which are intermittently rotated in order to properly position the copy sheet with respect to the master Sheet. These feed rolls may also serve as a moistening means. However, it is obvious that the present invention is applicable to other types of duplicate ing machines in Which the matter t0, be dupli"` cated is in a form other than that of a Wet process master sheet, and which includes a somewhat different form of printing couple and sheet feeding means.

In such devices, registration is accomplished by the intermittent rotation of the Sheet feeding device which is driven in timed relationship with the drum so that the copy sheet will be put into. motion at such time that its leading edge will be engaged by the drum at a point which is forwardly of the iirst line of the matter to be duplicated by a distance which corresponds to the de sired margin. According to this arrangement, the sheet feeding device is driven from the drum or the drum driving means, and in order to regulate the marginl various expedents have been proposed for adjusting the timing. Such expedients generally involve the angular adjustment of one rotatable element with respect to another, such as the position of the drum With respect to a cam, a gear or other rotatable element.

Due, however, to the mass of rotating parts, and due to the fact that duplicating machines generally embody means to bring the drum to a stop in a so-called home position, such expedients have in the past, necessitated the use of positive locking means which lock the relatively adjustable members only in one of a series f predetermined positions, or in the alternative, have necessitated the use of screw-threaded clamping means for urging the adjustable parts into very tight frictional engagement. alternative does not provide an infinite number of adjusted positions, and the adjustment provided by the second alternative cannot'readily vlasting means of the coarse adjustment oi the. several The rst be made by the average operator due to the diiflculty of providing a sullcelltly tight clamping.,

ments are. rotating elements, they are generallyl l not accessible, with the result that the adjustment or such clamped elements is a service op-vv eration.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustment means of the type indicated which avoids the disadvantages .pointed out above, `and which provides an. induite number of. adjusted positions and which is readily accessible to the operator. Y

.A further object is to vprovide a margin ad-4 justing means which utilizes two separate means. one of which shifts the cycle of operation of thc feed roll with respect tothe. drum by prodcter mined increments, and the other of which shifts said cycle by innitesimal, increments. There is thus provided what may be termed coarse ad.- justment and a fine adjustment which oooperate with each other to produce a fine adiustment throughout a much greater range. than has heretofore been provided by mecha! nisms of this sort.

Another object. is to provide. in mechanisms of. this sort which embody a com and .a follower i for actuating the f eed roll. means for shifting the position of the follower with respect to the cam so as to shift the cycle of operation of the iced roll.

stm another object is to provide a mar-ein, afdadjustment type which may be. regulated to produce a very fine predetermined posi, tions provided thereby.

A still further object is to provide compara'-y tively simple and inexpensive means for adjustE ing the position of a camk with respect to the drum of a duplicating machine and for adjusting the position of a cam follower with respect to the Cam. i

Other objects, advantages and features will become apparent as the description proceeds.

With reference now to the drawings in which like reference numerals represent like parts:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of. a duplicating machine embodying a preferred embodiment of our inven-` tion;

Fie. 2 is a vertical section taken-along line ,2:2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section talscn along, lino. 3-:3 of .Fie- 2;

3 Fig. 4 is a section taken along4 line 4-5 oi Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 5 but showing the cam removed so as to show the underlying parts in elevation;

Fig. 7 is a section taken along line Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a section taken along line 8--8 oi Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a section taken along line 9--9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 1o is a section similar to that of Fig. 2 but.'

.showing the parts in changed position. K

The duplicating machine as shown inv Fig. 1 includes a side frame ll on which is mounted a circular housing l2 which serves to conceal certain of the parts. Projecting from the housing is an adjusting knob i3 which is provided with an end plate lli. A control disk l5 projects from the upper part of the housing l2.

As shown in Fig. 2, a shaft I6 is journaled e the side frame H by means of a bearing il. A

drum i8 is keyed to the shaft for rotation there' with. A pressure roll i9 is disposed beneath the drum and is adjustably mounted by means of arms 2G and the other elements not shown.

Disposed in front of the drum is a feed roll 2l which is carried on a shaft 22. journaled at one end in a suitable bearing 23 which is mounted in side frame H. The shaft and feed roll are driven by means of a gear which operates through an over-running clutch 24 in the usual manner, so that the feed roll may be driven only in one direction. A sector 26, which includes a rack 29, meshes with Vand drives the gear 25, the sector being mounted for oscillation on a pivot pin 21 which is carried in side frame Il. Thus, oscillation of the sector will cause the feed roll 2l to be rotated intermittently only in one direction.

The shaft is to theV drum so that registration can be regulated. This means includes the adjusting knob. IS which is slidably mounted on sleeve 32 and keyed thereto by means of a screw 35 whichextends into a slot 36 formed in the sleeve. Thus, the knob can be displaced axially, but rotation of the knob i3 with respect to the shaft causes angular adjustment of the cam with respect to the shaft.

A spring 3l surrounds the sleeve 32 and urges the knob I3 outwardly. A washer 38, which rests against the screws 33, serves for an abutment for the inner end of the spring 31.

The knob. I3 is provided with a plurality7 ci circumferentially arranged bores, three bores lid, 4i and 112 being shown in the present embodiment. Plugs 43, M and 45 are held in the bores by set Y screws G9. Plugs 44 and 45 are provided with As shown in Fig. i, a lower feed roll 28 is suitto rotateeither continuously or intermittently,

sheet may be fed between the feed 4 and the intermittent rotation of the feed rolls is I so timed that they begin their rotation at such a point in the cycle of operation that the position of the leading edge of the copy sheet with respect to the drum may be regulated. When the feed rolls are stationary, they serve as a stop against which the leading edge of the copy sheet may be positioned. The length of the sector 25 is sufficient to positively drive the feed rolls until such time' as the leading edge is engaged by the drum land pressure roll, after which time, the drum and pressure roll pull the sheet through the feed rolls, which action is possible by virtue of the overrunning clutch.

The sector 26 is oscillated by means of a cam 3l] which rotates with the shaft I6 and the drum i8. The cam is secured to the ilange 3l of a sleeve 32 by suitable means, such as screws 33 which pass through slots 34 formed inthe cam. This arrangement permits the angular position of the cam with respect to they drum to be adjusted, although this adjustment is in the nature of a factory adjustment dueto the inaccessibility of the screws 33 and the necessity toprovide a very tight clamping action.

eccentric pins 47 and 48 respectively and plug M is provided with a concentric pin. These pins are alternatively adapted to be received in a slot 5l formed in slotted plate 56 which is carried by end plate le. End plate i# is non-rotatably secured to the shaft i5. Thus, the cooperation between the eccentric pins and the slotted plate 5G provides threediierent angular adjustments of the cam with respect to the drum.

The end plate I4 is iitted over the reduced end of shaft i6 and is keyed thereto by a pin 50, as shown in Fig. 4. The central portion of the end plate comprises a slotted hub 5l which accommodates the pin 50. A nut 52 is threaded onto the end of shaft IG and holds the end plate in position. The slotted plate 56 is provided with tapered surfaces 58 which facilitate the adjusting operation.

A spring Ei is tensioned between a screw 6l which bites into shaft I5, and a pin 52 which projects from the flange 3|, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. This spring provides a load on the knob i3 so as to prevent any rattling which might occur due to clearances between the pins dii- 48 and the slotted plate 5S.

The coarse adjustment provided by the knob I3 and its associated parts is an adjustment of predetermined increments.

' For instance, the spacing between any two lad jacent plugs may represent a distance of l/z inches on the master sheet. Thus, in certain types of system work where the identical information is to be duplicated in diierent positions on different printed forms, the adjustment provided by knob i3 permits the change over from one form to another to be made instantaneously.

By varying the angular positions of the plugs il and 5 to shift the position of ythe eccentric pins il and 138, the position of the drum can be regulated half an inch one way or the other. Thus, when the concentric pin'll engages the slotted plate, the copy can be duplicated in what may be called its normal 'position on one form. A second set of forms may require the copy to be lduplicated at a position from one to two inches further down on the form, and a third set of forms may require still another position which is from 21/2 to 31/2 inches from the normal duplicating position. By providing addi-tional plugs. additional sets of forms can be accommodated in like manner. Thus, the coarse adjustment is in itself of utility in certain types of systems work since the margin can be shifted practically instantaneously to accommodate the margin rey quirements of several different sets of forms.

Other means are provided to permit the opera- K tor to adjust the position of the cam with respect i Means are also provided to regulate the registration by ininitesimal increments, as contrasted with the predetermined increments provided by adesso? the knob la, so as to provide a une margin adjustment throughout a range of several inches.. Such means comprise a follower t4 in the form of a roller which is adiustably mounted on the the pivot pin 2'? and to which sleeve is staked they sector E5. .an anti-friction bushing 68 is, interposed between the pivot pin :and the sleeve 67. As shown in Figs. 6 and 8, a slot F59 is provided in sector 2t in which slot the follower d4 is mounted. The follower includes a stud 'iilwhich passes through the slot and takes into arm E55. A flanged portion il of the stud serves as' a spacer to maintain the follower roller in thegro'ove 63 of the-cam. l.

lt will be observed that by rotating thecontrol disk l5, the arm b and the follower 64 will be slidably moved in radial direction with respect to the pivotal mounting of the sector 25. This Iadjustment is made when the cam 3i? and the drum are stationary in their home position as shown in Fig. 5.' rhus, the cycle of operation of the feed roll may be shifted with respect to the drum cycle, and since an infinite gradation of the follower position is provided, the margin may be regulated in the same manner.

A click 'l2 is mounted on the-follower stud il) and on the arm S5 and engages the edge of the control disk, which may be knurled, order to maintain the control disk and the follower in their adjusted positions.

By mounting the eccentric hub all concentrically with the sector, there will be no relative motion between the two-during normal operation of the machine, which considerably simplies the problems of lubrication and wear.

By mounting the Cain Sil onan axial sleeve which extends outwardly beyond the housing l2, it is possible to provide a simple means of obtaining a coarse adjustment which is readily accesto the operator.

Although the cam 3S is shown asa groove cam, it is obvious that the usual type of cam may be substituted therefor. However, by the use of a gro'oifed cam in which the width of the groove closelycorresponds with the diameter of the follower roller, the usual spring is eliminated and hence the load on the mechanism is reduced.

The operation has been described in detail in connection with the description of the several parts. In summary, the margin is regulated by regulating the time at which the feed rolls begin their rotation with respect to the angular position of the drum. y 'oy adjusting ythe angular position of the drum with respect to the cam Sil to provide a coarse adjustment, and secondly by regulating the position of the follower @Il with respect to the cam 3il to provide a line adjustment.

Where the margin regulation is comparatively small in extent, that is, less than an inch, regulation is eifected by rotation of the control disk l5, But where the regulation is of greater extent, the knob i3 is first operated to provide the desired coarse adjustment, and the fine adjustment obtained by rotating the control disk l5.

ln those instances where the machine is to be used constantly on two or three sets of forms, the plugs lill land i5 may be adjusted so that the desired margin may be obtained merely by manipulation of the knob It, thereby permitting This timing is regulated first 6 immediate change over of the machine from one margin to another. i f

If desired. the knob I3 may be provided with additional plugs to accommodate a greater range of margin regulation. Also, the plug 43 may be provided with an eccentric'pin,` rather than a concentric pin, if desired. Or, if desired, where three plugs are provided as shown herein, the

. middle plug may have a concentric pin, and the two outer plugs may have eccentric pins, thereby providing a somewhat greater range of adjustment than the arrangement herein shown.

Although only a preferred embodiment of our invention has been shown and described herein, it will be understood that various modications and changes may be made in the construction shown without departing from the spirit of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim: 1. In a. duplicatingmachine having a feed roll, a drum and a shaft therefor, means for regulating the registration of a copy sheet as it is fed by said feed roll into operative engagement with said drum, comprising a cam rotating with said drum, a follower for said cam, a gear for driving said feed roll, overrunning clutch means disposed between said gear and said feed roll so as to permit unidirectional rotation of said feed roll, a sector for driving said gear, said vfollowerbeing adjustably mounted on said sector whereby displacement of said follower by said cam will cause oscillation of said sector, means for adjusting the angular position of said cam with respect to said drum in predetermined increments, said means including a sleeve disposed on the end portion of said shaft, said cam being mounted on the inner end of said sleeve, a manually controlled knob mounted on the other end of said sleeve, and means for locking said knob to the end ofsaid shaft in any one of several predetermined angular positions and means including a manually operated control member for regulating the position of said follower with respect to said sector whereby the cycle of operation of said sector will be shifted with respect to the cycle of operation of said drumin order that the registration of a copy sheet may be regulated without respect to said increments.

2. In a duplicating machine, a driving shaft, a cam secured thereto, a feed roll having a gear rotating therewith, a sector assembly including a pivotally mounted sector meshing with said gear and pivot means therefor, a cam follower adjustably mounted on said sector, manually operated eccentric means mounted on said sector assembly and a link extending in a direction generally tangent to said cam and having a portion surroundlng said eccentric means and having another portion engaging said cam follower so that rotation of said eccentric means will cause the position of said link and said cam follower to be shifted circumferentially with respect to said cam in order that the cycle of operation of said sector and feed roll may be regulated.

3. A duplicating machine according to claim 2 having a frame, a pivot pin mounted on said frame, and in which said pivot means includes a sleeverotatably mounted on said pivot pin, said sector being carried by said sleeve, and said eccentric means being rotatably mounted on said sleeve whereby no relative rotation between said eccentric means and said sleeve will occur due to y the rotation of said cam.

` gent to said cam, said link having a portion engaging said eccentric hub and having another portion engaging said cam follower so that rotation of said control. member when said drum shaft is stationary in home position will cause the position of said link and said cam follower to be shifted circumferentially with respect to said cam in order that the cycle of operation of said sector and feed roll may be regulated with respect to the rotation of said drum shaft.

. 5. A duplicating machine according to claim 4 in which said control member is in the form ofa disk having a knurled edge, and a resiliently mounted member engaging said knurled edge to maintain said disk in adjusted position. Y

6. A duplicating machine according to claim in which said sector .is provided'with a slot, and in which said cam follower includes a mounting stud which passes through said slot, said stud being secured to said link.

7. A duplicating machine according to claim 4 having overrunning clutch means interposed between said feed roll and said gear so that said feed roll will be driven in only one direction.

A duplicating machine according to claim e in which said cam is secured to said drum shaft by means of two cooperating members, one of which comprises an axially displaceable knob rotatably mounted on said drum shaft and the other of which comprises an end plate keyed to said shaft, said cam and saidknob being nonrotatably secured to each other, and means for locking said cooperating members together in any one of a plurality of angular positions.

9. A duplicating machine-according to claim 8 in which said locking means comprises a plurality of axially projecting pins on one of said cooperating members, and a slotted plate mounted on the other of said cooperating members.

10. In a duplicating machine having a feed roll and a drum, means for regulating the registration of a copy sheet fed by saidfeed roll into operative engagement with said drum, comprising a cam rotating with said drumfa follower for said cam, a gear for driving said feed roll, overrunning clutch means disposed between said gear and said feed roll so as to permit unidirectional rotation of said feed roll, a displaceable rack for driving said gear, means including a manually operated control member providing an adjustable connection between said follower and said rack whereby displacement of said follower by said cam will cause displacement of said rack, a manually controlled knob for adjusting the angular position of said cam with respect to said drum in predetermined increments, whereby the cycle of operation of said displaceable rack will be shifted with respect to the cycle of operation of said drum, two cooperating members for establishing an adjustable driving connection between said shaft and said cam, said members being radially disposed with respect to said shaft at one end thereof, a sleeve connecting one of said members to said cam and being mounted on said shaft for relative movement with respect thereto, the other 8 of said members being keyed to said shaft, and means for locking said cooperative members together in any one of a plurality of angular positions, said first mentioned cooperating member constituting said manually controlled knob.

11. A duplicating machine according to claim 10 in which one of said cooperating members is axially displaceable, and in which said locking means comprises a plurality of axially projecting pins on one of said cooperating members, and a slotted plate mounted on the other of said cooperating members for receiving one of said pins.

12. In a duplicating machine having a drum kshaft and a feed roll, the combination of a cam f driven by said drum shaft for actuating said feed roll, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said drum shaft at an end portion thereof, said cam being non-rotatably secured to said sleeve at the inner end thereof, a knob slidably keyed to said sleeve at the outerend thereof, a radially projecting member secured to said drum shaft at a point adjacent said knob, and means providing a plurality of locking positions for said knob with respect to said radially projecting member wherebythe angular position of said cam with respect to said drum shaft may be adjusted by means located at the end of said drum shaft.

13. In a duplicating machine having a feed roll, a drum and a shaft therefor, means for regulating the registration of a copy sheet fed by said feed roll into operative engagement with said drum, comprising a cam rotating with said drum, a follower for said cam, a gear for driving said feed roll, overrunning clutch means disposed between said gear and said feed roll so as to permit unidirectional rotation of said feed roll, a displaceable rack for driving said gear, means including a manually operated controll member providing an adjustable connection between said follower andsaid rack whereby displacement of said follower by said cam will cause displacement of said rack, a manually controlled knob for adjusting the angular position of said cam with respect to said drum in predetermined increments, whereby the cycle of operation of said displaceable rack will be shifted with respect to the cycle of operation of said drum, two cooperating members for establishing an adjustable driving connection between said shaft and said cam, said members being radially disposed with respect to said shaft, said cam being secured to one of said members for relative rotation with respect to said shaft, and the other of said members being keyed to said shaft, and means for locking said cooperating members together in any one of a plurality of angular positions, said first-mentioned Y cooperating member constituting said manually controlled knob, one of said cooperating members being axially displaceable, said locking means comprising a plurality of axially projecting pins on one of said cooperating members, and a slotted plate mounted on the other of said cooperating members for receiving one of said pins, one of said pins being mounted eccentrically on a rotatable member, and said rotatable member being rotatably mounted in one of said cooperating members.

14. In a duplicating machine having a feed roll, a drum and a shaft therefor, means for regulating the registration of a copy sheet fed by said feed roll into operative engagement with said drum, comprising a cam rotating with said drum, a follower for said cam, a gear for driving said feed roll, overrunning clutch means disposed between said gear and said feed roll so as to permit unidirectional rotation of said feed roll, a displaceable rack for driving said gear, means including a manually operated control member providing an adjustable connection between said follower and said rack whereby displacement of said follower by said cam will cause displacement of said rack, a manually controlled knob for adjusting the angular position of said cam with respect to said drum in predetermined increments, whereby the cycle of operation of said displaceable rack will be shifted with respect to the Y cycle of operation of said drum, two cooperating members f or establishing an adjustable driving connection between said shaft and said cam, said members being radially disposed with respect to said shaft, said cam being secured to one of said members for relative rotation with respect to said shaft, and the other of said members being keyed to said shaft, and meansfor locking said cooperating members together in any one of a plurality of angular positions, said first-mentioned References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number j Name Date 2,089,979 Nigra' Aug. 17, 1937 2,357,816 Flanigan Sept. 12, 1944 2,364,942 Bradt Dec. 12, 1944 2,387,750 Davidson Oct. 30, 1945 

